Compositions for improving flavor and safety of marinated meat products

ABSTRACT

A composition for improving the flavor and juiciness of marinated meats and inhibiting growth of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms and a process for making the composition are described. Lemon juice and vinegar are neutralized, concentrated and blended with non-neutralized lemon juice and non-neutralized vinegar in appropriate proportions to achieve the desired water binding and antimicrobial effects.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 60/716,973, filed on Sep. 15, 2005, the entire disclosure of whichis incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a composition for improving the flavor of andinhibiting microbial growth in marinated meats. More particularly, theinvention relates to a composition comprising a combination ofneutralized lemon juice and vinegar with non-neutralized vinegar inproportions effective to achieve the desired water binding andantimicrobial effects.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Marination of meats is commonly practiced in the industry. The primaryobjective of marinating meat is to produce a product that is tender andmoist when cooked. However, the major problems with marinated meat isits inability to retain water, which results in a pooling of marinade inthe package of raw meat in the retail case, and high cook losses, whichresult in a cooked product that is tough and dry. To counter theseproblems, meat processors use several different ingredients in marinadeto enhance retention of the marinade in the meat, the most important ofwhich are salt and phosphate, and extenders such as starches, flour,maltodextrin, soy protein and whey or milk proteins.

A recent trend in the food industry is the omission on food labels ofchemically descriptive words in the list of declared ingredients andnon-meat binders. Terms such as phosphate, lactate, citrate, and acetateconnotes manufactured chemical compounds, and starch, flour, soyprotein, and dairy proteins connotes dilution of meat with low-costingredients. In addition, the latest ruling by FDA on allergens requiresthe listing on the label of allergens such as wheat flour, peanut, soy,and dairy products. Thus, meat processors have been removing ingredientsthat may not be considered “consumer friendly” and substitutingingredients that can be considered natural as defined by the USDA/FSIS.Ideally, processors would like to have an “all natural” claim on theproduct label.

A number of USDA/FSIS approved compounds are now used in meat marinadesto improve marinade retention, flavor, and antimicrobial effects.Compounds that are listed in Amendment 3 of FSIS directive 7120.1 as“safe and suitable for use in meats and poultry include: salt,phosphate, sodium lactate, sodium diacetate, citric acid, and sodiumbicarbonate. Grapefruit and lemon extracts are also listed, but extractsas defined in the regulations are solvent (ethanol) extracted componentsof lemon or grapefruit used primarily to impart the citrus flavor.

Citric acid is the predominant acid in citrus juices and is present at ahigh concentration in lemon juice. When lemon juice is added to meats,it may be declared on the label as lemon juice. Citric acid is alsoproduced by fermentation of sugars or starches by a mold. When producedby fermentation, citric acid must be declared as citric acid in thelabel. Acetic acid is the acid in vinegar, but since vinegar is a commoningredient used widely in domestic cookery, vinegar can be listed on thelabel as “vinegar” modified by source, e.g. “distilled white vinegar” or“apple cider vinegar,” rather than the chemical name, acetic acid.

The pH of a marinade, which is a measure of its acidity, depends on thetype and concentration of ingredients in the formula. It is importantthat the pH of meat after marination be in the range of 5.8 to 6.2. Whenmeat pH drops below 5.8, it loses its water holding capacity, absorptionof marinade is minimal, and liquid is released during refrigeratedstorage and/or cooking. When meat pH after marination is higher than6.0, meat retains water very well, and, therefore, added marinades areabsorbed by the meat and retained in the meat through storage andcooking. However, when pH is higher than 6.2 an alkali-like taste may beperceived on the tongue and the lining of the mouth. In addition, themeat pigments become more stable to heat, the bloody red color persistseven when the meat temperature exceeds the cooking end point temperatureof 165° F. when the meat is considered well done. Thus a successfulmarinade must not allow the marinated meat pH to be outside the pH rangebetween 5.8 and 6.2.

Thus there is a need for marinades for raw meat that contain naturalingredients and which achieve a pH of the marinated meat in the range offrom about 5.8 to about 6.2.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the invention there is provided a compositioncomprising neutralized lemon concentrate having a pH of from about 6.5to about 7.2. The composition may be in either liquid or powder form,preferably a dry powder, and may further comprise an anti-caking agentand/or filler.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided a compositioncomprising a neutralized vinegar concentrate comprising an equimolarratio of acetic acid to sodium acetate.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a composition fortreating raw or ready-to-eat meat comprising a neutralized lemonconcentrate having a pH of from about 6.5 to about 7.2 and a neutralizedvinegar concentrate comprising an equimolar ratio of acetic acid tosodium acetate, wherein the ratio of neutralized lemon to neutralizedvinegar is between about 1:1 to about 6:1.

The invention also provides a marinated meat product comprising aneutralized lemon concentrate having a pH of from about 6.5 to about 7.2and a neutralized vinegar concentrate comprising an equimolar ratio ofacetic acid to sodium acetate, wherein the meat product contains about1.4 to about 2.4% of the neutralized lemon and neutralized vinegarconcentrate based on the marinated meat product weight.

In yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a method oftreating a raw or ready-to-eat meat product to enhance flavor and retainwater during refrigeration and cooking comprising applying to the meatproduct a marinade comprising a neutralized lemon concentrate having apH of from about 6.5 to about 7.2 and a neutralized vinegar concentratecomprising an equimolar ratio of acetic acid to sodium acetate.

In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method ofpreparing a neutralized lemon concentrate comprising treating a lemonconcentrate with an amount of neutralizing agent sufficient tocompletely neutralize the lemon concentrate and achieve a pH of theconcentrate of about 6.8 to about 7.2 and adjusting the pH of theconcentrate with untreated lemon concentrate to a pH of about 6.5 toabout 7.2. In a preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention, aneffective amount of an anti-caking agent and/or a filler are added tothe neutralized lemon concentrate.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method ofpreparing a neutralized vinegar concentrate comprising treating vinegarwith an effective amount of a neutralizing agent to completelyneutralize the vinegar; concentrating the neutralized vinegar byremoving water therefrom; and adding an effective amount of untreatedvinegar to the concentrated neutralized vinegar to obtain an equimolarratio of sodium acetate to acetic acid.

In yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a method ofpreparing a composition for treating raw meat or ready-to-eat comprisingmixing a neutralized lemon concentrate having a pH of from about 6.5 toabout 7.2 and a neutralized vinegar concentrate comprising a molar ratioof acetic acid to sodium acetate in the range of about 1:1 to about1:1.2 wherein the ratio of neutralized lemon to neutralized vinegar isbetween about 1:1 and about 6:1 by weight.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A problem with using lemon juice and vinegar directly on meat as amarinade is the effect of the acidity on the marinated meat pH. Thus,although lemon is listed in the FSIS list of approved additives to meat,it is listed as a lemon extract, indicating that it is primarily thelemon peel extract, rather than the juice that is used.

The present invention has solved the problems associated with use oflemon in marinades by manipulating the acidity and ratios of threenatural components of the marinade. The present invention provides amarinade for raw and ready-to-eat meat products which has both highwater binding potential and antimicrobial properties.

The novelty of this invention is embodied in the treatment of thevinegar and lemon juice before mixing to produce a marinade ingredientin which the lemon and vinegar flavor can be modulated and the pH of themarinated meat can be controlled to maximize marinade retention andantimicrobial properties. Another novel feature of this invention is theprocess by which the acetate concentration in the mixture is increased,resulting in a marinade mix which does not permit the growth of molds,yeast, or bacteria during storage and distribution in the liquid form atambient temperature. A third novel feature is the pre-treatment of thelemon concentrate by converting the citric acid into a salt, thusfacilitating dehydration by spray drying or vacuum belt drying toproduce a non-caking dry ingredient.

In one aspect, the present invention provides shelf-stable, all naturalmeat marinade ingredients in liquid or powder form, manufactured fromlemon juice and/or vinegar, which enhance water binding in meats, impartimproved flavor and retard growth of spoilage and pathogenicmicroorganisms during refrigerated storage and distribution of the meatproduct. The meat marinade ingredients of the invention may be in theform of a liquid Lemon/Vinegar Mix, a Non-Caking Dry Lemon Powder, or aliquid Vinegar Mix.

In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a manufacturingprocess for a marinade ingredient to be used in marinades to achieve thedesired marinade binding and inhibition of growth of spoilage andpathogenic microorganisms.

The shelf-stable liquid Lemon/Vinegar Mix marinade ingredient of theinvention contains partially neutralized lemon juice concentrate andpartially neutralized, concentrated distilled vinegar. We discoveredthat consistency in obtaining the correct pH of the Lemon/Vinegar mix isbest obtained by fully neutralizing the lemon juice with sodiumbicarbonate, or other neutralizing agent, to a pH of about 6.8 to about7.2 and adding back un-neutralized lemon juice to obtain the desired pH,which is preferably between about pH 6.5 and 7.2. The same procedure isused with the vinegar component of the marinade ingredient. Sodiumbicarbonate is on the list of approved safe and suitable compounds foruse in meat and poultry products. Therefore it is the preferred agent toneutralize the acids in lemon juice and vinegar. However, otherneutralizing agents, such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, andpotassium bicarbonate may also be used to neutralize the lemon andvinegar but their use will have to be approved by USDA/FSIS before theneutralized lemon and vinegar can be used in meat products.

The Vinegar Mix contains about 30 to about 50% of an equimolar ratio ofacetic acid and acetic acid salt and preferably in the range of about 40to about 45% because at the high concentration the acetic acid salt willcrystallize during storage and at the lower concentration too much waterwill be introduced when the vinegar mix is added to the neutralizedlemon resulting in a water activity above 0.85. The moles of acetic acidsalt are preferably about 10 to about 20% greater than the moles ofacetic acid to provide a buffering action to maintain the desired pH.

The pH of a mixture of sodium acetate and acetic acid is defined by theHenderson-Hasselbach equation as follows: pH=pK_(a)+log ([sodiumacetate/acetic acid). The pK_(a) of acetic acid is 4.76. Thus, if anequimolar ratio of sodium acetate and acetic acid is present, the pH ofthe solution will be the pK_(a). When the concentration of sodiumacetate is greater than that of acetic acid, the second term in theHenderson-Hasselbach equation will be a positive quantity whichincreases the pH above the pK_(a). For example if the molar ratio ofsodium acetate to acetic acid is 1.2, the pH of the solution will be4.83. The small change in pH with changes in the concentration of acidis called the buffering capacity and the presence of an excess of sodiumacetate over the acetic acid in the vinegar mix aids in maintaining thedesired marinade pH when the composition is used in a meat marinade.

The equimolar acetic acid/acetate salt is the “active antimicrobialcomponent” and the amount added to the marinade is preferably sufficientto exhibit an antimicrobial property. The active antimicrobial componentof the Vinegar Mix preferably is present in the marinated product at alevel of about 0.2 to about 0.5% by weight.

Lemon juice solids that are added either as the liquid Lemon/Vinegar Mixor the Lemon Powder component are preferably present in the meat at alevel of about 1.5 to about 2% to achieve the desired water binding andinhibitory antimicrobial activity. These requirements define the ratioof the lemon juice component and the vinegar component that are mixedtogether to produce the Lemon/Vinegar Mix. The actual weight ratios aredetermined by the percentage of acetic acid and acetic acid salt in thevinegar component and the solids content of the lemon juice component.

In order to avoid spoilage of the Lemon/Vinegar Mix during storage atambient temperature, the Vinegar Mix preferably is added to the lemonjuice in a ratio of about 1 part Vinegar Mix to about 1 to about 6 partsof the Lemon juice component, and water in the Vinegar component ispreferably minimized such that the water activity of the Lemon/Vinegarmix is about 0.85 or below. Since commercially available vinegarcontains a maximum of 30% acetic acid, the neutralized vinegar isconcentrated by heating for example, to remove water before mixing withthe unreacted vinegar to obtain the Vinegar Mix. The neutralized vinegarcan be concentrated by any method that removes water.

In order to prevent separation of the serum phase from the solid phasein the mixture of pH adjusted lemon concentrate and pH adjusted vinegar,the viscosity of the vinegar component may be increased by the additionof starch, for example to heated unreacted vinegar prior to mixing withthe concentrated reacted vinegar. The vinegar-starch mixture is thencooled to ambient temperature and mixed with the pH-adjusted lemonconcentrate.

Preparation of the Neutralized Lemon:

Lemon juice concentrate containing about 400 grams per liter (gpl) ofcitric acid is preferably used in the process of making a neutralizedlemon component of the marinade ingredient. A higher concentration maybe used, but if viscosity is very high the concentrate is preferablydiluted. At lower concentrations, there may be too much water present,resulting in a water activity above 0.85 making the product subject tospoilage when stored at ambient temperature. The process ofneutralization involves the addition of a neutralizing agent, such assodium bicarbonate powder to the lemon concentrate. The chemicalreaction is as follows:Citric acid+sodium bicarbonate=sodium citrate+carbon dioxide+water

Carbon dioxide is entrained in the concentrate to produce a foam. Thefoam consistency can be as thick as the consistency of shaving cream.The thick viscosity of the foam makes high speed mixers ineffective tomix the reaction mixture. A slow moving mixer which scrapes both sidesand bottom of the reaction vessel is more effective. Generally, the moreviscous the concentrate, the longer it takes for the foam to collapse.Therefore, a lower amount of the reaction mixture can be used in aparticular size vessel. We discovered that heating the concentrate to50° C. before adding the sodium bicarbonate accelerates the reaction andminimizes the volume rise of the foam. Temperature during the reactionwhich could take at least one hour, is preferably maintained below 50°C. Otherwise the lemon concentrate discolors and may acquire a bitteroff-flavor.

Preferably a lower concentration of lemon concentrate with a wateractivity higher than 0.85 is not be used; otherwise the product willspoil when stored at ambient conditions.

The amount of sodium bicarbonate needed to completely neutralize thecitric acid is in the range of about 0.36 to about 0.46 pounds per poundof lemon concentrate, preferably about 252 parts sodium bicarbonate toabout 192 parts citric acid or about 1.31 parts sodium bicarbonate toabout one part of citric acid by weight. The latter is thestoichiometric ratio for acid neutralization. Anything less will resultin un-neutralized acid lowering the pH below the desired value. Anythingmore will result in unreacted sodium bicarbonate which can later reactwith the vinegar mix altering the acetic acid/acetic acid salt ratio. Wediscovered that adding all the sodium bicarbonate at one time results ina very large volume of foam, which may run out of the reaction vessel.In addition, the unreacted sodium bicarbonate settles to the bottom ofthe reaction vessel and forms a cake and would not be available tocomplete the neutralization reaction. It is also preferable to meter thesodium bicarbonate into the reaction vessel at such a rate that the foamproduced is maintained at a level well within the volume of the reactionvessel. When the reaction is complete, foam generation stops and thefoam settles resulting in a liquid with the same consistency as theoriginal lemon concentrate. Density of the reacted lemon concentrate isslightly higher than that of the original lemon concentrate once thefoam has completely collapsed. The neutralized lemon concentrate has apH of about 6.8 to about 7.2. The pH may be adjusted to about 6.5 toabout 7.2 by the addition of the original lemon concentrate. Theresulting liquid may be dried to produce a Dry Lemon Powder or mixedwith the Vinegar Mix to produce a Lemon/Vinegar Mix.

Commercial lemon juice concentrate is standardized to a specific citricacid content expressed in grams per liter of citric acid. Differentsources of lemon will have different levels of non-acid components andtherefore will have different densities. The easiest way to determinethe exact citric acid content of the concentrate as a percentage byweight of citric acid is to determine the density in g/cc and dividingthe gpl by 1000 times the density. Thus, if the 400 gpl lemonconcentrate has a density of 1.24 g/cc the % citric acid is400/1240=0.322 or 32.2% (w/w). The active component in the lemon mixresponsible for water binding and antimicrobial properties is the citricacid salt and the non-acid solids in the concentrate. If thisconcentrate has a total solids content of 48%, non-acid solids will be49-32.2=15.8. The acid salt will be 32.2×molecular weight of sodiumcitrate/molecular weight of citric acid=32.2×258/192=43.3. The mass ofthe neutralized lemon from 100 pounds of concentrate (determined as thesum of the mass of concentrate plus sodium bicarbonate less carbondioxide) is 120 lb. Thus, the percentage active component in theneutralized lemon concentrate is (43.3+15.8)/120=0.49 or 49%. Since thedensity and non-acid content of the lemon juice concentrate can varywith different batches, it will be necessary to obtain the density andtotal solids content to determine the concentration of active componentsin the neutralized lemon.

Preparation of Vinegar Mix

The Vinegar Mix is preferably produced from 300 grain vinegar, althoughvinegar having a grain value of about 200 to about 300 may be used. Ifthe Vinegar Mix is used separately instead of being mixed with theneutralized lemon to make the Lemon/Vinegar Mix, then a concentration ofacetic acid in the vinegar below 200 grain is of no consequence. Thelower concentration of the active component in the Vinegar Mix made froma lower grain vinegar can be compensated by the use of more of theVinegar Mix in the marinade. However, when added to the neutralizedlemon to make the Lemon/Vinegar Mix, the lower grain vinegar productwill lower the water activity of the mix resulting in spoilage whenstored at ambient temperature.

The vinegar is neutralized with a neutralizing agent such as sodiumbicarbonate according to the following reaction:Acetic acid+sodium bicarbonate=Sodium acetate+carbon dioxide+water

The reaction is preferably carried out at room temperature to avoidrelease of volatile acetic acid to the environment. The foam produced bythis reaction is of low viscosity and the foam readily collapses.However, the reaction is rapid so that if all the sodium bicarbonate isadded at one time, the reaction mixture may overflow from the reactionvessel. The amount of sodium bicarbonate needed for the reaction isabout 84 parts of sodium carbonate to 60 parts of acetic acid or 1.4parts sodium bicarbonate per part of acetic acid, by weight. This is astoichiometric ratio that should be met for ease in processing. If moresodium bicarbonate is added than the stoichiometric ratio, the excesswill remain in the solution and can interfere with heating during theprocess of evaporation. In addition, unreacted sodium bicarbonate willreact with the vinegar added back to the hot concentrated neutralizedvinegar causing a dangerous, violent generation of foam. Sodiumbicarbonate added in an amount less than the stoichiometric ratioresults in unreacted acetic acid which will be wasted by evaporatingwith the water during the concentration process. Sodium bicarbonate ispreferably added slowly to avoid overflowing the foam out of thereaction vessel.

At the completion of the reaction, the neutralized vinegar can beconcentrated by heating to evaporate the water, for example. Sincesodium acetate is not volatile, only water will be removed from theneutralized vinegar by evaporation. The sodium acetate however,hydrolyzes to acetic acid and sodium hydroxide in the presence of water.Therefore, it is preferable to apply suction over the evaporator using aliquid ring seal pump to trap the volatiles and dispose of it into thesewer system, rather than into the atmosphere.

Evaporation removes water and the volume is reduced until about ⅖ toabout ⅗ of the original mass remains. The endpoint is manifested by theformation of a very thin layer of crystalline material on the surface ofthe liquid. Load cells on the evaporator can be used to determine whenthe endpoint is reached. It is better to over-concentrate and add backwater later than to under-concentrate because the latter results in alower concentration of the active ingredient while the former allowsroom for adjustment by the addition of water.

Preferably, the concentrated neutralized vinegar is not allowed to cooldown before adding back the unreacted vinegar. The sodium acetate willcrystallize out of solution forming a hard cake or crystal clumps whichis very difficult to disperse in the succeeding operations. A stable,completely homogeneous mixture is produced by adding back the unreactedvinegar to the neutralized vinegar concentrate. To obtain an equimolarratio of acetic acid to sodium acetate, the amount of vinegar added backis equal to the amount of vinegar used in the preparation of theneutralized vinegar. For example, if 100 lbs of 300 grain vinegar isreacted with sodium bicarbonate, a material balance (lb product=lbvinegar+lb sodium bicarbonate−lb carbon dioxide) will show that 120 lbsof reacted vinegar will be produced. Thus, for every 120 lbs of reactedvinegar that was concentrated, about 100 lbs of unreacted vinegar isadded to produce the equimolar ratio. However, since an excess of 10 to20% of the acetic acid salt over the acetic acid is desired, the amountof vinegar added back is 80 to 90 pounds instead of 100. If the reactedvinegar was concentrated to 50% of its original mass, and 90 pounds ofthe vinegar is added back, the Vinegar Mix will have a mass of about 150pounds. This Vinegar Mix has a concentration of active ingredient ofabout 45.3%. If on the other hand, the neutralized vinegar wasconcentrated to 40% the original mass and 90 pounds of vinegar is addedback, the yield of the Vinegar Mix is about 138 pounds and theconcentration of active ingredient is about 49.3%. The latter can bediluted with water (about 12 lbs) to bring the mass back to about 150lbs to have the same concentration of active ingredients of about 45.3%as in the previous 50% concentrate.

Preparation of the Lemon/Vinegar Mix

The concentration of the active component of the Vinegar Mix required toinhibit microorganisms in raw meats ranges from about 0.10 to 0.25%,when used with the neutralized lemon product at a concentration of theactive ingredient from lemon of 0.6 to 0.90%. If the active component ofthe Vinegar Mix is 44%, about 0.22 to about 0.56% of the Vinegar Mix isrequired to inhibit microorganisms. On the other hand, with lemoncontaining about 49% active ingredient, 1.2% to 1.8% is required. Theratio of neutralized lemon to Vinegar Mix in the liquid Lemon/VinegarMix is preferably between 1 parts lemon to 1 part Vinegar Mix to 6 partslemon to 1 part Vinegar Mix by weight.

The Lemon/Vinegar Mix preferably has a water activity below 0.85 and apH between 5.6 and 5.8 for it to remain stable at room temperature.

Usage level of the liquid Lemon/Vinegar Mix in the marinated product ispreferably about 1.4 to 2.4% of marinated product weight. Selection ofthe actual concentration is based on flavor impact, cost and degree ofprotection against microbiological activity required by the specificapplications. More inhibitory activity against microorganisms isexhibited by product containing a lower Lemon to Vinegar Mix ratio and ahigher Lemon/Vinegar Mix concentration in the product. However, thehigher the vinegar concentration the more pronounced the vinegar flavor.

Preparation of Non-Caking Dry Lemon Powder

Non-Caking Dry Lemon Powder may be produced by drying the neutralizedlemon using a spray drier or a vacuum drum drier, for example and addinga filler and anti-caking agent to the dried powder. Examples of suitablefillers and anti-caking agents include rice starch, rice flour, tapiocastarch or potato starch used with or without sodium aluminate or silicagel. The neutralized lemon is less hygroscopic and is more heat tolerantthan raw lemon concentrate. Therefore no additional processing aids areneeded during the drying process.

After the dried powder has cooled down to ambient temperature it isblended with rice flour, rice starch, tapioca starch, potato starch, orthe like in a 1:1 ratio. An anti-caking agent such as silica, bentonite,talc, or sodium aluminate may be added at an amount of about to about0.005 to 0.1%, preferably about 0.01% to prevent caking during storage.

The active component in the Non-Caking Dry Lemon Powder is the solidscomponent of the lemon concentrate and the salt of the citric acid. Thisactive component constitutes about 50% of the Non-Caking Dry LemonPowder. When used in marinades, the Non-Caking Dry Lemon Powder is addedat about 1.5 to about 2.5% of the marinated meat weight. The powder byitself has excellent water binding properties and can be used to replacephosphate in marinades.

Marinades Utilizing the Non-Caking Dry Lemon Powder and Vinegar Mix

In order to have antimicrobial effects, a combination of the Non-cakingDry Lemon Powder and the Vinegar Mix are used in marinades. The liquidVinegar Mix can be added directly to the marinade. The percentages ofthe Non-Caking Dry Lemon Powder and the Vinegar Mix in the marinatedmeat is the same as with the Lemon/Vinegar Mix

EXAMPLES

The percentage of ingredient in the marinated product in these examplesis defined as follows:

% in product=(lb marinade absorbed/pound meat)(% ingredient inmarinade)/(1+lb marinade absorbed). When formulating marinades, set atarget marinade absorption expressed as lb marinade/lb meat. For a settarget % marinade ingredient in the product, the % ingredient in themarinade=% in product x[(1/target absorption)+1)]. For example, iftarget marinade absorption is 0.2, and a 1.5% marinade ingredient levelis desired in the product, % ingredient in marinade=1.5 (1/0.2+1)=9.0%.

Example 1

Whole chicken was injected with marinade to 14.5% of neat weightMarinade was formulated to give 1.2% of the Lemon/Vinegar Mix in themeat and 1.24% of a savory premixed salt and spice mix. Controlconsisted of the same salt and spice ingredient without theLemon/Vinegar Mix. The chickens were packaged 6 to a plastic bag andstored at 36° F. in a walk-in cooler. After 11 days, chicken injectedwith the marinade with the Lemon/Vinegar Mix had an average count of4.46 log CFU/in2, while chickens injected with the control marinade hadan average count of 5.92 log CFU/in2. After 14 days, the chickensmarinated with the Lemon/Vinegar Mix had an average count of 5.04 logCFU/in2 while those injected with the control marinade had an averagecount of 6.35 log CFU/in2 and exhibited a putrid smell. TheLemon/Vinegar Mix extended the refrigerated shelf-life by at least 3days at 36° F.

Example 2

Raw beef sirloin tips were marinated to a 10% pick-up of the marinade byvacuum tumbling. The marinade composition was calculated to provide 1.2%of the Lemon/Vinegar Mix in the meat along with 2% of a salt-spiceseasoning blend. Control contained only the salt-spice seasoning blend.Each piece was placed inside stocking nets and cooked in the smoke houseto an internal temperature of 155° F. After cooking, the nets werestripped off and individual pieces were packaged inside plastic bags andstored at 34° F. The following are the microbial counts in samples.After Week 1, Control had 2 log CFU/g and the Lemon/Vinegar Mixmarinated product had 2 log CFU/g. At week 8, the control had 5.9 logCFU/g while the product marinated with the Lemon/Vinegar Mix had 3.3 logCFU/g. The lemon/vinegar mix extended the refrigerated shelf-life by atleast 3 weeks.

Example 3

Boneless raw chicken breast meat was marinated to 15% of meat weight byvacuum tumbling. The Test marinade provided 1.4% of the Dry LemonPowder; 0.5% rice flour, 0.5% maltodextrin, 0.3% of Vinegar Mix, and0.8% salt in the marinated product. The control marinade provided 1.5%rice flour, 0.5% maltodextrin, and 0.8% salt in the marinated product.The marinades were pre-mixed in water and added to the meat in thetumbler. Individual breast pieces were packed in cryovac bags and sealedwith <−0.2 bar pressure. Samples were stored at 35° F. On day 1, countswere 3.4 log cfu/g for Control while Test samples had 2.65 log CFU/g. Onday 8, Control had 4.4 log cfu/g while Test samples had 2.6 log cfu/g.Control samples were putrid at 18 days while Test samples exhibited nooff odor and had counts of 3.97 log cfu/g. Test samples did not showsigns of spoilage until 25 days in storage. Meat marinated with the DryLemon Powder and Vinegar Mix extended the refrigerated shelf-life by atleast 7 days.

Example 4

The Non-Caking Dry Lemon Powder was used in a marinade and used tomarinate chicken breast extracted from spent (old) hens. Marination wasby vacuum tumbling at 25 in vacuum for 25 min. at 33° F. Marinades weremixed with ingredient levels calculated for a marinade absorption of 20%of meat weight. Meat was chilled to 33° F. and marinade was cooled to28° F. before placing in a pre-chilled tumbler. Control marinadeprovided 0.8% salt, 0.4% sodium tripolyphosphate, and 1.5% rice flour inthe marinated product, with the balance, water. Test marinade provided0.8% salt, 1.5% rice flour, 0.8% Dry Lemon Powder in the marinatedproduct with the balance, water. Marinade absorption was excellent inboth marinated products and the amount of purge after 24 h at 36° F. wasidentical in the two samples, at less that 0.5% of marinated meatweight. Products were cooked in a smoke house with maximum steamaddition at 180° F. to an internal temperature of 160° F. Yield wasslightly better for the Test marinade at 108% of green weight comparedto 102% for the Control. More importantly, the Test samples were juicierand more tender compared to the Control. The Dry Lemon Powder served asan excellent replacement for phosphate, and also tenderized the product.

Example 5

Enhancement of the water binding properties of meat containing aformulation of the invention increases with increasing pH of theformulations, while decreasing pH increases the antimicrobial effects.When applied to boneless turkey breast, a formulation of lemon andvinegar in a 3:1 ratio of neutralized lemon concentrate to pH adjustedvinegar concentrate resulted in 91.4% retention in the raw meat ofmarinade applied at 15% of meat weight. Final cooked yield was 83% ofthe weight of un-marinated meat and shelf-life of the raw meat was over49 days at 4° C. By comparison, the control which was marinated onlywith phosphate and salt retained in the raw meat 85.8% of marinade, thecooked yield was 79.1% of green weight and the shelf life was only 15days at 4° C. Sensory panelists preferred the product containing thelemon-vinegar formulation over the control and those with the pHadjusted vinegar only.

The effect of the marinades of the invention on the water bindingproperties of chicken meat was tested. A marinade containing pH adjustedlemon and vinegar did not alter water binding properties ofboneless-skinless chicken breast in comparison to a control marinadecontaining only salt and phosphate. Yields on marinades applied at the20% level were 87.4% of applied marinade in the raw meat, while the cookyield was 93% of un-marinated meat weight. Shelf-life was 22 days. Incomparison, marinade retention of the control marinade in raw meat was87.2% and cook yield was 89.4% of un-marinated meat weight. However, thecontrol spoiled after only ten days in storage at 4° C. Sensorypanelists preferred the meat marinated with the lemon-vinegarformulation over the control and the product marinated with thepH-adjusted vinegar only.

Similar results were found on boneless pork loins marinated and cut into“chops.” For chops marinated at the 15% level, marinate retention in theraw meat was 92.3% of added marinade for meats marinated with thepH-adjusted lemon-vinegar formulation compared to 83.5% for control porkchops marinated with salt and phosphate only. Cooked yield was 100% and87.7% of green weight, respectively. Shelf-life was 31 days for thecontrol and those marinated with the pH-adjusted lemon-vinegarformulation were still highly acceptable at 35 days.

1. A shelf-stable composition for treating a meat product comprising aneutralized lemon concentrate comprising about 400 g/L citric acid andhaving a pH of from about 6.5 to about 7.2 and a vinegar mix comprisingneutralized 200 to 300 grain vinegar concentrate and untreated vinegarhaving a grain value of 200 to 300, wherein (1) the vinegar mixcomprises 30 to 50% acetic acid and acetic acid salt; (2) the molaramount of acetic acid salt exceeds the molar amount of acetic acid; (3)the ratio of neutralized lemon concentrate to neutralized vinegarconcentrate in the composition is between 1:1 to 6:1, and (4) thecomposition imparts anti-microbial effect and water retention to saidmeat product.
 2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the composition hasa water activity below about 0.85 and a pH between about 5.6 and 5.8. 3.A marinated meat product comprising a neutralized lemon concentratecomprising about 400 g/L citric acid and having a pH of from about 6.5to about 7.2 and a vinegar mix comprising neutralized 200 to 300 grainvinegar concentrate and untreated vinegar having a grain value of 200 to300, wherein the vinegar mix comprises 30 to 50% acetic acid and aceticacid salt, wherein the molar amount of acetic acid salt exceeds themolar amount of acetic acid, wherein the marinated meat product has a pHof between 5.8 and 6.2 and contains about 1.4 to 2.4% of the neutralizedlemon and neutralized vinegar concentrate based on the marinated meatproduct weight, and wherein the meat product exhibits a longerrefrigeration shelf-life and water retention during cooking than anon-marinated similar type of meat product.
 4. The marinated meatproduct of claim 3, wherein the marinated meat product has a pH in therange of from 5.8 to 6.2.
 5. The marinated meat product of claim 3,wherein the meat is raw meat.
 6. The marinated meat product of claim 3,wherein the meat product is a ready-to-eat meat product.
 7. A method oftreating a raw meat product to enhance flavor and retain water duringrefrigeration and cooking and extend the shelf-life of the meat productduring refrigeration comprising applying to the meat product ashelf-stable marinade comprising a neutralized lemon concentratecomprising about 400 g/L citric acid and having a pH of from about 6.5to about 7.2 and a vinegar mix comprising neutralized 200 to 300 grainvinegar concentrate and untreated vinegar having a grain value of 200 to300, wherein the vinegar mix comprises 30 to 50% acetic acid and aceticacid salt, wherein the molar amount of acetic acid salt exceeds themolar amount of acetic acid, and wherein the ratio of neutralized lemonconcentrate to neutralized vinegar concentrate in the marinade isbetween 1:1 to 6:1.
 8. A method of preparing a composition for treatingraw meat comprising mixing a neutralized lemon concentrate comprisingabout 400 g/L citric acid and having a pH of from about 6.5 to about 7.2and a vinegar mix comprising neutralized 200 to 300 grain vinegarconcentrate and untreated vinegar having a grain value of 200 to 300,wherein the vinegar mix comprises 30 to 50% acetic acid and acetic acidsalt, wherein the molar amount of acetic acid salt exceeds the molaramount of acetic acid, and wherein the ratio of neutralized lemonconcentrate to neutralized vinegar concentrate is between about 1:1 andabout 6:1.
 9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step ofdrying the neutralized lemon concentrate to form a powder.
 10. Themethod of claim 8 wherein said neutralized vinegar and neutralized lemonare neutralized by sodium bicarbonate.
 11. The method of claim 8 furthercomprising the step of adding an anti-caking agent and/or filler to theneutralized lemon concentrate in an amount sufficient to prevent caking.12. The composition of claim 1 wherein each of the neutralized lemonconcentrate and neutralized vinegar is independently neutralized withsodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate.
 13. The marinated meatproduct of claim 3 wherein each of the neutralized lemon concentrate andthe neutralized vinegar is independently neutralized with sodiumbicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate.
 14. The method of claim 7 whereineach of the neutralized lemon concentrate and neutralized vinegar isindependently neutralized with sodium bicarbonate or potassiumbicarbonate.